Description: The intensive use of antimicrobial agents in both animal husbandry and public health has resulted in the drastic increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Drug resistance is becoming a worldwide problem, which is also demonstrated by the emergence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), multidrug resistance, and extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) producing bacteria. To combat the increase in antibiotica resistance, it will be necessary to gain knowledge on the mechanisms, diversity, and distribution that underly the observed antibiotic resistance (AR) characteristics. Molecular tools rather than phenotypic methods can provide this kind of information. As a result of the ongoing research on resistance, the number of described AR genes and AR-related mutations has increased enormously. Consequently, multidetection and screening methods will be necessary, rather than single-plex assays, to identify the gene(s) or mutation(s) responsible for the resistance phenotype.
Research objectives: The development of a multiplex DNA test for the simultenous detection of multiple antibiotic resistance genes in Salmonella based on Padlock probes and microarray detection.
Results and products: A DNA test was developed that enabled the detection of 42 antibiotic resistance genes and related elements that were frequently found among Salmonella. With this test it is possible to analyse 48 differrent strains in one day. The procedure encludes a multiplex ligation detection reaction (LDR) to generate ligated padlock probes that are amplified by PCR. The amplified fragments are subsequently hybridized to a low-density DNA microarray (ArrayTube system (ATs)) spotted with padlock-specific complementary Zip oligonucleotides and visualized. The specificity and selectivity of the padlock probes and customized ArrayTube microarray was tested with several control strains harboring nearly all of the AR genes and/or genetic elements represented on the microarray. In a specific experiments fifteen Dutch S. Paratyphi B dT+ strains that were demonstrated by PCR to harbor both intI1 and intI2, were further characterized with the novel microarray platform. In 8 strains no additional AR genes were identified with the ATs besides the resistant determinants already shown by PCR (Table 5). However in 7 dT+ isolates additional genes were found. Besides the 42 probes as mentioned above four probes were developed to detect mutations mediating a resistance phenotype. Initial experiments proved there correct design and ability to detect single nucleotide mutations.
Microarray Based Detection of Antibiotic Resistance Genes in Salmonella. Van Hoek en Aarts, Food Analytical Methods, 2008 (DOI 10.1007/s12161-007-9012-1)
Identification and characterization of multidrug resistant Salmonella Paratyphi B dT+ by PCR and ArrayTube microarray platform. Angela H. A. M. van Hoek, Sabrina Oostra-van Dijk, Thijs Weijers, Pieter Vos, H. J. M. Aarts and Dik Mevius (in prep) |